site.btaDigital Infrastructure Requires Continuous Investment, e-Government Minister Yolovski Says

The development of digital infrastructure and its maintenance need continuous investment, said e-Government Minister Alexander Yolovski at the Informal meeting of EU telecommunications, transport and energy ministers, as quoted by his ministry on Tuesday. The forum took place on October 23 and 24 in Leon, Spain.

"Digital transformation is a global process that requires everyone to participate in it - the executive, NGOs, the scientific community, business, and last but not least - citizens," Yolovski said at the forum, which was organized by the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council.

In his words, the whole of society needs to be involved in the digital transformation process, because not only people change technologies, but technologies change people.

"In parallel, investment in cyber security must continue because it is key to the further development and use of digital services in the EU," he added. As an example of the role of the scientific community, the e-Government Minister pointed to the INSAIT Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology. Yolovski said that just a few days ago a second supercomputer was made operational in Bulgaria, making Bulgaria one of the few countries with two computers of such kind.

The EU should regulate the use of technology, as it poses a high risk to fundamental rights and European values, but it should not engage in over-regulation. Trust needs to be seen as a competitive advantage for the European technology industry, Yolovski said. Technological development is driven not by regulations, but by innovation in response to market needs, he emphasized.

The EU member states endorsed the Leon Declaration on European Neurotechnology. According to it, the EU needs to be proactive and act in order to become a major player in the emerging markets related to neurotechnology, while promoting innovation and investment in line with the EU values and norms, thus ensuring a people-centred and rights-based approach to protect and empower the people.